(Information and graphics courtesy of BLM, Colorado
District Office)

In 1992 Colorado BLM developed an innovative and exciting adaptation to the
existing wild horse - inmate program.

Carefully selected and supervised inmates learn various stages of animal care
and training. Through this program, they gentle, halter train and saddle
train 20 to 30 horses per month. A horse is considered successfully trained when it can accomplish the following:

Easy mounting and dismounting

Knows the commands for walk, trot, lope and keeps its head and body collected.

Can turn either direction, stop and back up on command

Can pick up all four feet

Can load and unload in a 4-horse trailer

Horses trained through this program are available for adoption at the
prison in Canon City. Adopters of saddle trained horses reimburse the prison
for their training expenses. The current price for a saddle trained horse is
$740. This fee includes $125 for the BLM adoption fee, $180 for feed and
$435 for training. BLM receives only the adoption fee, the remainder goes to the
Department of Corrections to fund the program.

For more information, call the Canon City office at (719) 269-8500.

Webmaster's Note: Such programs are very beneficial for
those wanting to adopt wild horses, but who have limited or no horse training
experience. Having a horse already gentled and started by the prison program
at a very reasonable cost is often less expensive than making such
arrangements on one's own, boarding the horse for the gentling and training
period, etc.